A microchip laser using a solid laser realizes miniaturization of a light source. The microchip laser is a solid laser pumped by a semiconductor laser, and a resonator length thereof is reduced to about several mm. Generally, when the resonator length of the solid laser is reduced, output stability can be achieved as described in Non-patent Document 1. Further, there is a construction in which a microchip laser and a wavelength conversion element are combined to perform generation of green light (Non-patent Document 2). Furthermore, there is a construction in which a semiconductor laser array, a solid laser, and a nonlinear crystal are combined to perform generation of green light as described in Patent Document 1.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for increasing output power by a construction in which solid lasers are arranged in a two-dimensional array.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-111542
Patent Document 2: Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei.9-246648
Non-patent Document 1: Journal of Optical Society of America B Vol. 11, pp 436-445, 1994
Non-patent Document 2: Optics Communications 105 (1994), pp 183-187